Rolling mill



April 16, 1929. R. c. W-ALTER ROLLING MILL Filed March 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet April 16, 1929. -R. c. WALTEI? ROLLING MILL Filed Mafch 31, 1927 2 Sheeig-Sheet W mm .4 MW, v6 m! WM, 4 L PW Patented Apr. 16, 1929.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH COLLINS WALTER, OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMBANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW roan I BOLLIN G MILL.

Applicat'ion filed March 31, 1927. Serial No. 179,828.

This invention relates to a rolling mill, and more particularly to apparatus for handling and guiding material between respective passes of said mill,

The object of this invention is topi'ovide apparatus for automatically handling and guiding material in continuous lengths between predetermined positions or apparatus.

One form of the invention is embodied in a rod handling and guiding apparatus for rolling mills, wherein the rod is automatically directed between the rolls of a roughing mill and from the roughing mill to an intermediate mill, a power oscillated chute being provided for laterally looping the rod between the mills to take caieof any slack or excess material formed during the rolling operation, the operation of the chute being controlled by trip mechanism in turn actuated by the forward'end of the rod during its travel from the roughing mill to the intermediate mill. Upon the passage of the trailing end of the rod past the trip mechanism the source of power is automatically disconnected from the chute, the chute coming to rest at a predetermined lateral position for directing the next rod to the trip mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic planview of a rolling mill embodying the features of this invention Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of Fig. 1, partly in section. showing the oscillatory chute and the driving mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the right hand end of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view thereof showing the trip mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the clutch mechanism;

tions, indicated by full and broken lines respectively, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig 6.

Re erring to the drawings in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, at 10 is illustrated a roughing mill between the rolls of which a heated billet or bar of metal to be reduced or rolled into rod form is first passed immediately upon being taken from a furnace (not shown). After the reduced bar has been passed between the two lower rolls of the mill 10 a sufficient number of times a rod 11 indicated by a broken line is formed and upon its last pass therebetween is automatically elevated and guided between the two upper rolls of the mill 10 by a vertical transfer or repeater device 12 comprising a plurality of sections. A section 13 which first receives the rod 11 is in the form of a pipe provided with a flaring mouth and serves to guide the rod after its last passbetween the two lower rolls into a substantially semi-circular runway or trough 15 also provided with a flaring mouth and which is arranged with a slight spiral formation, thus causing the rod to be elevated as it passes therearound. Associated with the high or leaving end of the trough 15 is an inclined chute 16 which directs the rod between the two upper rolls of the mill 10. Any slack or elongation in the rod between the interval of leaving the two lower rolls and its entrance between the two upper rolls is taken care of by providing the trough 15 and the chute 16 with outer and downwardly inclined aprons 21 and 22, respectively, which extend to the floor (Fig. 1), the overfeed or slack rod riding down the aprons and looping out upon the floor. At the extreme left end of the trough 15 and suitably inelined in a frame supported upon the floor is a roller 23 u on which the rod 11 rides during the over eed or slack formed therein during its passage from thelower to the upper rolls of the mill 10, otherwise when the rod leaves the trough 15 adjacent the end of the pipe section 13 it would drag on relatively sharp edges of the trough 15 while it travels therearound with the likelihood of the rod being scraped away or cut, the rod at this time, due to its heated condition, being in a relatively soft or plastic state.

The action of the transfer or repeater device 12 just described, it will be apparent, serves to automatically guide the rod 11 from the last pass between the two lower rolls to a point between the two upper rolls of the mill 10.

A stationary guide block (Figs. 2 and 3) is mounted upon a frame 26 (Fig. attached to the right side of the frame (not shown) of the mill 10 for guiding the rod,- which at this stage in the particular rod being formedis oval in cross-section, as it passes from between the two upper rolls with its widest surface horizontally disposed. The rod 11 is subsequently formed into a substantially circular rod as will be referred to later. At the right end of the block 25 is'a trough 29 which is pivoted, as illustrated at 30, to the frame 26, and has its left end in longitudinal alignment with the block. Attached to the underside of the trough 29 at its ri ht end is a roller 31 which is adapted to roll upon an upper horizontal guide plate 32 carried upon an inner upper similarl disposed surface 33 of a trou h or' gui e 34.

The trough 29 is oscillated laterally during the rolling operation so that as the overfeed of the rod 11 passes along the trough it is deflected and arranged in alternate directional loops disposed in serpentine order.. The means for causing the automatic operation of the trough will be described shortly hereinafter. The trough 34 is fixed to a structural steel frame 35 and isof considerable length compared to the pivoted trough 29 for .the purpose of supporting the overfeed of the rod 11 ashereinbefore referred to, the upper horizontal surface 33 of the trough extending to a point adjacent a pair of feed rolls 36. The trough 34 upon its forward side, as viewed in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, is provided with a vertical wall 37 which effectually rcstrains movement of the rod out of the trough in the direction thereof. The horizontal surface 33 of the trough 34 is provided with a downwardly inclined lip or apron 38 along its upper side, as viewed in Fig. 1, which extends downwardly to the floor and upon which, together with the surface 33, the deflected rod is looped, the inclination of the apron serving to partially rotate it to bring it upon its edge which facilitates the looping thereof as will be apparent and in preparation for its passage through the next mill wherein it has been rotated a full 90. At its right end Fig. 1) the trough or guide 34 is provided with'a vertical angularly disposed wall 39, the inner surface of which serves to direct the overfed ortion of the rod which is being looped a ong the upper horizontal surface 33 and apron 38 into a comparatively narrow channel 40 formed at the extreme right end of the guide 34 and formed by the vertical walls 37 and 39 and the horizontal surface 33.

Contiguous to the guide 34 at the right end thereof is a covered trough 43 which at its right end is quite narrow but sufiiciently large for the free passage of the rod 11 therethrough. Adjacent the right end of the trough 43 and in. line with each of the verticalwalls thereof is a pair of angle irons 44 which are supported upon the top surface of the frame 35. The upper surface 33 of the trough 34 between the angle irons 44 is provided with a slot 45 (Figs. 4 and 5) below which and upon the frame 35 is mounted a roller 46, the peripheral surface ofwhich extends through the slot and slightly above the upper horizontal surface 33 of the trough 34. J ourna'led upon brackets 47 fixed to the frame 35 adjacent the end of the trough 43 is a trip member comprising a lever 50 fixed to a shaft 51 rotatably carried upon the brackets 47. U on the free end of the lever 50 which is bi urcated a roller 52 is rotatably carried, the peripheral surface of which normally rests upon the peripheral surface of the roller 46 ex-- tending through the slot 45. Attached to the forward end of the shaft 51 (Figs. 4 and 5) is a depending lever 53, the free end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a horizontally disposed rod 54. The rod 54 extends toward the left (Figs. 3 and 4) and terminates in a clevis pivotally secured to the free end of a lever 57 pivoted to a standard 58 (Fig. 3).- The rod 54 is mounted for reciprocal'movement in a tube 59 suitably suspended from the frame35.

In the operation of rolling the rod 11 by being passed between the rolls of the mill 10 the forward end of the rod after passing through the trough 29, which is stationary at this time, travelsalong the upper hori-' zontal surface 33 of the trough 34 and en-v gages the rollers 46 and 52 at a point where their peripheries engage and causes the levor 50 and in turn the lever 53 to be rotated in a counter-clockwisc direction, thus drawing the rod 54 toward the right (Figs. 3 and 4) and rocking the lever 57 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 to cause the engagement of a clutch 60.

- The clutch 60 comprises driven and driving members 61 and 62, respectively, the clutch being of the rocking pin type wherein the driven member 61 is clutched to the constantly rotating driving member 62 by the rocking of a suitabl journaled pin 65 (Fig. 6, 7 and 8). The riving clutch member 62 may receive motion from any suitable source of power (not shown). As clearing depressions 66 upon an inner annular surface 67, while the driven member 61 supports the rotatable rocking pin which is substantially semi-circular in'cross-section along its clutching portion as indicated at 68 (Fig. 7 Fixed to the forward end of the pin 65 (Figs. 6 and- 8) is an arm 69, the free end thereof .normally engaging a pin 70 carried by ana-rm 72 which is rocked by the lever 57 by an interconnecting pin 73 forming the pivot of the lever '57. The clutching position of the pin 65 is retained in its normal or inoperative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 7 with a vertical surface 74 of the arm 69 in engagement with the pin 70 by a tension spring 75, opposite ends thereof being fixed to the arm 69 and the driven clutch member 61. Suitable ,cooperating surfaces are formed upon the arm 69 and member 61 to limit the movement of the arm 69 clockwise (Figs. 6 and 8) under action of the spring 75, upon withdrawal of the pin 70, for a distance sutlicient to clutch the members 61 and 62 together as indicated by the broken line position of the pin 65 (Fig. v7). The withdrawal of the pin 70 is effected by a movement of the rod 54 toward the right (Figs. 3 and 4), which movement as hereinbefore explained occurs upon the rod 11 engaging the rollers 46 and 52.

fixed to an upright lever intermediate its ends. The lower end of the lever 80 is fulcrumed to an arm 83 fixed to a base 84 which supports the standard '58. The upper end of the lever 80 is provided with a pin 85 (Fig. 6) upon which is pivotally mounted a bifurcated member 86 between the arms of which extends one end of a pin 87, the opposite end of the pin being fixed to a bracket 88depending from the underside of the trough 29. It will be apparent that upon the clutch 60 being engaged as hereinbefore described the disc' 76 will .be caused to rotate and through the cooperatingcrank 78, upright lever 80 and attached parts the trough 29 will be oscillated laterally about its pivot 30, the member 86 being pivoted upon the pin 85 serving to form a full universal joint.

Upon passage of the trailing end of the rod 11 from between the rollers 46 and 52 the clutch tripping mechanism will be returned to its normal position through the impellingforce of a tension spring 91, op-.

posite ends of which are attached to the frame 35 and the upper end of the lever 57, the pin 70 thus being rockedinto the path of the surface 74 of the arm 69. The surface 7 4' engaging the pin 7 0 causes the arm 69 to be rocked counterclockwise against the tension of the spring 75 and thus rocks the clutch pin 65 to its normal or inoperative position as shown in full lines in 7 and also causes the crank disc 76 to be stopped in a predetermined similar position each time the pin 70 is moved into the pathv of the arm 69. It will be apparent that by adjusting the end 77 of the crank 7 8 upon the disc 76 the movement of the upright lever 80 may be varied and consequently the range of oscillation of the trough 29 will also be varied. To check the rebound of the driven clutch member 61 upon 'the arm 69 engaging the pin 70 and thus immediately bringing the member 61 to a sto as just described, there is provided a braffe shoe 92 6 and 8) which is constantly bearing upon the periphery of the disc 76. The brake shoe 92 is pivotally carried upon an arm 93' pivoted to the base 84, an adjustable tension spring 94 serving to maintain the shoe 92 in engagement with the disc 76 at all times.

Upon the forward end of the rod 11 passing between the rollers 46 and 52 it travels between the angle irons 44 and thence into a covered trough 96 arranged upon the frame 35 to guide the rod between the feed rolls 36, which are driven by a motor 97 operatively connected thereto by a suitable interconnecting drive mechanism (not shown). The feeding grip of the rolls 36 upon, the rod 11 may be varied in a well known manner by a screw 99 associated with the upper roll 36.

After its passage between the feed rolls 36 the rod 11 travels through an adjustable bell mouthed twister guide 100 where the twist of the rod is completed, thence between angle irons 103 and through 'a covered trough or guide 104, all carried by the frame 35, the irons 103 and guide 104 being similar to the irons 44 and the trough 43 respectively. The oval rod 11 is then guided between the rolls of an intermediate mill 105 and formed into a substantially circular rod by a guide block 106 mounted upon the frame (not shown) of the mill 105.

Therolls of the mills 10 and 105 and the feed rolls, 36 it is to be understood are arranged to be rotated at suitable speeds, depending upon the size of the rod to be rolled.

In the operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described the heated billet or bar of metal is removed from a furnace (not shown) and entered between the two lower rolls of the mill 10, being passed from left lit)- to right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 a sufli cient number of times to reduce it to a desired cross-section. Upon its last passage between the two lower rolls of the mill 10 the rod 11 thus formed enters the flaring mouth of the pipe section 13 of the vertical transfer 0,1 repeater device 12, which as described hereinbefore, results in the rod being automatically elevated and guided between the two upper rolls of the mill 10. The forward end of the rod 11,. which is now oval in cross-section, upon emerging from between the two upper. rolls of the mill 10 travels through the guide block alongv the trough 29, which is stationary at this time and disposed in the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1. The rod 11 which is being impelled forward by the rolls of the mill 10 passes from the trough 29 onto the upper horizontal surface 33 of the guide 34 and is guided after engaging the vertical wall 37 thereof along a substantially straight path into the narrow channel 40 formed at the extreme right end of the guide 34 and thence into the covered trough 43 and between the angle irons 44. In its passage between angle irons 44 the extreme forward end of the rod 11 engages the rollers 46 and 52 and as hereinbefore described actuates the clutch tripping lever which .results in the trough 29 being oscillated laterally and causing a whipping action to be 7 given the rod, the overfeed of the rod 11 being formed into loops as shown in Fig. 1 with the loops extendingfrom the horizontal surface 33 of the trough 34 and onto the downwardly inclined apron 38. It is .to be understood that due to the speed at which the rod is traveling the oscillation of the trough 29 does not occur vuntil the forward end of the rod 11 has been gripped by the .feed rollers 36. The rod 11 upon passage between the rolls .36 enters the twister guide which serves to complete the turning of the rod through an angle of 90, travels betweenflthe angle irons 103, through the covered guide 104 through the guide block 106 and between the rolls of the intermediate 'mill for further rolling into a rod of substantially circular cross-section. lVhen the trailing end of the rod 11 passeslfrom between the rollers 46 and 52 the clutch tripping lever 50 is returned to its inoperative position and as fully described hereinbefore the clutch 60 is disengaged, the oscillatory trough 29 coming to a halt in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, ready to direct a succeeding rod 11 along the surface 33 of the trough 29 and into engagement with the rollers 46 and 52, thereby resulting in the trough 29 again being set in motion.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material between successive rolls of one mill, means for guiding the material from the last pass of said mill to the rolls of a succeeding-mill, the last-mentioned means including a movable section for deflecting the overfeed of the material between the successive mills in a predetermined manner, and means controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the movable section.

2. Ina rolling mill, means for guiding the material between respective reducing rolls thereof, said means including a section laterally movable in a horizontal plane for deflecting the overfeed of the material between the respective rolls, and means positioned in the path of the material and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the movable section. I '3. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material between respective reducing rolls thereof, said means including a section laterally movable in a horizontal plane northe material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means ineluding a laterally oscillatory trough section pivoted at one end adjacent the first mill for deflecting the overfeed of the material in loop formation between the successive mills, and means adjacent the second mill and arranged in the path of the material traveling thereto and controlled by the engagement of the materialtherewith for controlling the lateral oscillation of the trough about its pivot. I

, 5. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from therolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a stationary section and a laterally oscillatory trough section for deflecting the overfeed of the material in loop formation upon the stationary section between the successive mills, and means arranged in the path of the material and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the lateral oscillation of the trough.

1 6. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a stationary section and a trough section pivotally mounted at one end, antifriction means upon the opposite end of the trough section arranged to ride upon a horizontal surtace of the stationary section, power operated means for oscillating the and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the power operated means to oscillate the trough section. 1

g 7. In a rolling mill, means for guiding strip material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding'mill, said means including a stationary section provided with a horizontal surface and a downwardly inclined integral portion at one side thereof for partially rotating the material about its longitudinal axis, :rfatera'lly movable section normally positioned for guiding the material from the first mill along the horizontal surface, means arranged in the path of the material and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the movable section to deflect.

the overfeed of the material in loop forma- M Y tion upon the horizontal surface and the inclined portion between the successive mills,

' and a twlster guide for completing the rotathe rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a stationary section provided with a horizontal surface, a vertical Wall at one side of the surface and a downwardly inclined apron at the op osite side for artially rotating the rod a out its longitudinal axis, a laterally oscillatory trough section normally positioned for guiding the material from the first mill along the horizontal surface adjacent the vertical wall to the second mill, means arranged in the path of the material and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the lateral oscillation of the trough to deflect the overfeed of the material in loop formation upon the horizontal surface and the apron between the successive mills, and a twister guide for completing the rotation of the strip material before its entrance to the second mill.

9. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including an inclined portion, and a movable section at one end thereof for causing the overfeed of the material as it passes from the rolls of the first mill to be carried in alternate directions along a horizontal plane for v deflecting it upon the inclined guide portion between the successive mills, and means controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the movablesection. 10. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the 'rolls'of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means ineluding a stationary member provided with a plurality of plane surfaces angularly disposed to each other, and a movable section at one end thereof for causing the overfeed of the material as it passes from the rolls of the first mill to becarried in alternate directions along a horizontal plane and directed onto one of the plane stationary surfaces for deflecting it upon both of the plane surfaces between the successive mills, and means controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the movable section. 11. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including an oscillatory section normally positioned for guiding the material along a predetermined path between the successive mills, means arranged in the pathof the material and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for controlling the oscillation of the oscillatory section to deflect the overfeed of the material between the successive mills, and means responsive to the dis engagement of the material from the controlling means for returning the oscillatory section to its normal osition. 12. In a rolling null, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a section laterally movable in a horizontal'plane normally positioned for guiding the material along a predetermined path between thesuecessive mills, means arranged in the path of the material and controlled by the cage ement of the material therewith for controllrn theoperation of the movable section tode ect the overfeed of the material between the successive mills, and means responsive to the disengagement of the mater1al from the controlling means for return ing the movable section to its normal position. A 13. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a movable section, and means immediate the succeeding mill and controlled by the engagement of the material therewith just prior to its entrance between the rolls thereof for controlling the operation of the movable section to deflect the overfeed of the material between the successive mills.

. 14. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the materia-l from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including an oscillatory section for deflecting the'overfeed of the material between the successive mills, and means controlled by the engagement of the material therewith for causing the oscillation of the oscillatory section.

15. In a rolling mill, means for guiding the material from the rolls of one mill to the rolls of a succeeding mill, said means including a movable sectlon, power operated means for moving the section for deflecting the overfeed of the material between the successive mills, and means comprising a lever and link mechanism arranged in the path of the material and controlled by the engagemnt of the material therewith for controlling the operation of the power operated means to move-the movable section. 10 In witness whereof, I hereunto subscnbe 

